Girls Wanna Run! Training Nepal's Generation Next!

The 3rd iteration of Young Women's Political Leadership Institute (YWPLI) has kicked off virtually with a bang! This year, despite the pandemic and the course being run virtually, we received an overwhelming number of applications from adolescent girls around the Kathmandu Valley (and beyond). Each aspiring participant underwent a rigorous selection process out of which 20 young women/ girls (aged 18-25) were narrowed down as our 2020 Fellows! Our Fellows come across diverse ethnic geographical, religious, and cultural backgrounds.

YWPLI 2020 started with a two-week-long Political Institute from 16th-28th August where the fellows gained foundational knowledge about Nepal’s democratic system and the political processes in the country. Similarly, our 2020 Fellows also actively engaged to learn essential professional skills in political organizing, including how to write and deliver an effective message, how to communicate with people who have different thoughts or opinions than their own, and how to create an effective campaign plan.

“If there’s one thing that my experience in Women LEAD has taught me, it is to never be afraid of challenges.” - Bima, 2020 YWPLI Fellow

To celebrate the International Day of Girl Child 2020 (IDG), our 2020 YWPLI Fellows led and conducted an event, “End of gender-based violence: The adequacy of law” on Oct 11. The event included sessions like “Digital Accountability and Hygiene” and a panel discussion on “Are laws alone an effective deterrent for Gender-based Violence?” with distinguished guest speakers. Our current YWPLI Fellows were also able to bring in Nepal's Minister of Women, Children, and Senior Citizens, Mr. P Gurung as a keynote speaker for the event.  

"The weeks that went into organizing IDG2020 was an enriching experience where we young women got an opportunity to sharpen our skills in organizing an event of such prominence. Similarly, it also felt empowering getting to network with survivors, youth activists, and people in power who were working relentlessly towards addressing the issues of growing acid attacks and rape cases in Nepal.” - Simrika, 2020 YWPLI Fellow

After the Political Institute, multiple follow-up sessions have been carried out to keep the Fellows engaged. YWPLI'20 is now moving onto the next phase where our Fellows will intern at various government offices under different women political leaders. Unlike previous iterations of YWPLI, our 2020 Fellows, this year, will be interning at governmental agencies outside Kathmandu; some of them will intern at the governmental agencies in their hometown. 

We can't wait to share with you updates from our Fellow’s internship Journey in our next report! 

Links:

• Meet our YWPLI 2020 Fellows!
• Check out Women LEAD's newly updated website.

We are thrilled to announce that the applications for the 3rd iteration of Young Women’s Political Leadership Institute (YWPLI) are now LIVE! We are equally excited to welcome and groom a new batch of 20 young, amazingly passionate change-makers who’ll play a key role in co-creating Nepal’s political future. 

The 9-month long program, this year, will commence on 16th August 2020 and is expected to conclude with a graduation on 1st May. Adapting to the new normal brought about by the global Pandemic COVID-19, the program will run online initially. COVID-19 might’ve posed new challenges ahead of us but amidst the pandemic, one thing that hasn’t changed at all is our young changemakers' zeal and commitment to changing the status quo of Nepali women in politics. 

This year, our 20 enthusiastic fellows will intern with female politicians from various government agencies for at least a month – most of whom were elected during the 2017 local elections. Additionally, to get more ground exposure and to understand the roles of women representatives at the local level, our 2020 Fellows will be taken on a week-long trip outside Kathmandu, potentially to Province 1. Our Fellows will have the opportunity to work with women Mayors and Deputy Mayors during the field trip. They’ll receive hands-on learning opportunities and a chance to understand different leaders' leadership styles. 

Starting this year, our YWPLI Fellows will be receiving mentorship by our past Fellows and Alumni.  Unlike in the previous years, our alumni based overseas and outside Kathmandu will have the opportunity to be mentors. The mentorship is expected to provide our dynamic and bold Fellows with the opportunity to build their own ally-ship as they continue to challenge the patriarchal structure of Nepali society.

“YWPLI has helped me understand my role as a Nepali citizen while providing me with the knowledge to create change. My plans have always been to work in public service while making public institutions more accountable, transparent and inclusive; the knowledge I’ve gained at YWPLI has only helped further my aspirations,” says our 2017 Fellow Sujata.

In the following 2 months, the applicants of YWPLI 2020 will undergo a fair selection process. The shortlisted candidates will be called in for an interview and finally, 20 exceptional young women will be selected to embark on this 9-month long journey full of learning.

Stay tuned for updates on our incredible YWPLI 2020 Fellows’ journey.

Links:

• Check out Women LEAD's newly updated website.